March 21, 2011

• DUCK MOB

   *Warning – this is probably not the best animal film for kids to watch unless you’re looking to educate them in lynch mob mentality.

  My video camera caught these 2 male mallards chasing each other at the San Diego Zoo a few weeks ago.

  Now, I don’t know what the other duck did to piss off the Alpha male but he got taught a lesson by the boss and his pals

  The whole thing reminded me of Jane Goodall’s findings about Chimpanzees.  That although they are usually seen as gentle creatures, she discovered that they were also capable of being incredibly vicious and brutal — sometimes hunting or even eating smaller monkeys.  Females killing the offspring of other females in their troop to maintain their dominance, sometimes going as far as cannibalism.  It was fascinating yet disturbing to watch at the same time. 

  Now before I get any flack — I know enough about animals to know that you just don’t interfere with nature.

  Had I thrown rocks at the ducks to break up the fight, it might have come attack me, nearby patrons or children.  Unfortunately, it’s just one of those situations letting nature run its course – sometimes the Snow Leopard runs down the rabbit. 

  And who’s to say the other duck didn’t have it coming?

  In further research, I discovered that the mallard will sometimes isolate a female duck of a different species, peck at her until she weakens and then the males will take turns copulating with the female. 

  Dubbed ‘Attempted Rape Flight’, male mallards will also occasionally chase other male ducks in the same way. In a documented case, a male mallard copulated with another male he was chasing after said male had been killed upon flying into a glass window.

  Sounds a lot like convicted felons in prison to me.  

  Ya learn something new everyday.

  • 3:38 pm
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